Arriving in front of my shed, bloodied and exhausted, I cast one final wary glance around to ensure no one was following me. Finding no pursuers, I pushed open the flap and swiftly stepped inside.It seemed like everyone had already fallen asleep, but that was about to change. Little Fish was the first to stir at my abrupt return."Huh? who's-..." He stop his words when he saw my current state, eyes wide open with shock, he began waking everyone up one by one.I disregard any thoughts and worries about the consequences of my actions and plainly walk forward before sitting myself in the corner which is also my sleeping spot.By now, everyone had been roused from their slumber and was beginning to gather in front of me."Carillus, what happened?""What's with the blood, Saragonian?""There's so many blood on you, are those even yours?""Are you injured or something?""We were wondering why you're so late, Carillus. The fuck happened?"Arde was the first to question me, followed by the o
The instant Gulfram gave the orders, every man sprang into action without hesitation. There were no complaints, only the faint sounds of acknowledgment and slight reactions.I noticed that the miners accompanying Roslik and Gulfram swiftly exited the alleyway and returned with a horse-drawn wagon a few dozen minutes later. The wagon was complete with a driver whom I had never met before.Meanwhile, I stood on the sidelines with my back against the wall, observing their process of loading the two bodies onto the cart with utmost silence and care.Little Fish also stood beside me, and though I could sense he was attempting to offer comfort by initiating small talk, his words, however, fell on deaf ears as my mind wandered elsewhere. I didn't even hear almost half of what he said."Sorry, can you repeat?" I ask, my face flushed with embarrassment and disappointment directed to myself.Little Fish sighed, but before he could open his mouth to speak, he suddenly turned his head towards som
Seemingly shocked by his outburst, Gulfram released his grip on me and gazed at me with eyes filled with surprise." Carillus," He sighed, "You've already became a killer, and I know you're going to be good at this job until you die." Gulfram then clasp both of his hands together before moving his gaze towards the other miners. I followed his gaze and noticed that all of them were silently observing us. Even Little Fish and Roslik appeared unusually quiet, their eyes locked onto us with unwavering focus, though I could trace a few hints of worry and pity etched on their faces. "But please," He suddenly continued, now moving his gaze back towards me, "Just don't ever... ever let this quarry take away whatever childhood you have left." After everything that has happened to me, do childhood and all that shit even matter anymore? As much as I want to let my thoughts on the matter out, I controlled myself and kept quiet instead. And just like that, we spent the rest of the time disposin
I found myself mysteriously standing at the deck of a wooden ship, the sea stretched out before me, a wide expanse of unknown. I tried to remember as to why I am here, but everything seems to be so hazy and I could get no answer from it, no matter how hard I try. The sudden roaring thunder in the sky quickly caught my attention, I look up and saw the sky as it raged with storm clouds, their intense ashen hues spiraling ominously. And then, in an unexpected surge, an intense impact that struck me like a heavy blow, the wind surged with uncontrollable force, pushing down on me with an almost solid intensity, I struggled to maintain my balance against nature's unwavering embrace. The heavy rain then fell upon me, each droplet of rainwater a weighty reminder of the storm's force, I could also sense the briny tang in the air, the unmistakable taste of salt carried on the wind. Then voices, a lot of them, I turn towards the noise and I saw chaos, men frantically running around as they
Mom's features held a striking resemblance to my own, a testament of our shared heritage, though she stood a few inches shorter than me. "Goodmorning, mother." I greeted her as I took a seat at the table. "Goodmorning Carillus." She greeted back as she places a plate before me, the aroma of eggs, bacon, and toast filled my nose as I stared down at the food before me, the eagerness to gobble up everything seems to grow inside of me. "Now now, I do not want to see my sweet Carillus choke on his own food just because he's a little hungry." I turn towards her to see her smiling, her warm eyes focused on my expression. "Am I that obvious?" I chuckled. She sighed as she took a seat at the table, a mug of coffee in her hands, though it wouldn't take long for even the dumbest people to figure out her answer based on her expression. As I began to dig into the food in front of me and savor the taste of the meal my mother had cooked, I couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable due to t
The sounds of rustling leaves and nearby birdsong quickly filled my ears. I wildly looked around and an astounding sight met my eyes, towering trees surrounded me, their trunks wrapped in old most. The uneven ground was covered with a blanket of fallen leaves and protruding tree roots. I'm in some kind of a forest. Did that strange void drop me here? how? and why? As questions began to pop up one after another inside of my mind, I tried to recall the events that transpired as I arrived to this place, that strange feeling as I fell through the void while the world around me shift and bend as if the laws of physics doesn't exist. I began pinching myself, in hopes that I couldn't feel any pain and all of this is just a big bad dream. But the sensation of pain was undeniable; beyond that, my consciousness remained intact throughout the entire descent through the void and everything seems incredibly real. Despite my internal efforts to reject such notions, I know that deep within me
Gradually, as consciousness began to seep back into my senses, my head throbbed mercilessly, each throb sending waves of discomfort and agony, It was as if there was a heavy drilling operation taking place inside my head. Blinking my eyes open, everything is a blur as I slowly take in the sight of the blue sky above, I could feel the rough soil beneath my body, a clear indication that I now lay sprawled up on the ground below, leaves and dirt sticking to my skin, the air was also thick with the earthy scent of vegetation, and the distant sounds of rustling leaves and flowing water. "Argh!" I grunted in pain as a piercing pang suddenly shot through my head, causing me to wince and grit my teeth, gently placing my hand on my throbbing temple, I could feel a small bump forming beneath my palm, a sharp pain surging in my head each time my bump makes contact with my fingers. How did I..? And then my memories slowly reassembled itself, the image of the bear chasing me, my hasty and desp
I could feel the fresh breeze brush upon my face and tug at my hair as I made my descent towards the valley, my heart rapidly beating in anticipation and excitedness.Ignoring the pain around my whole body, I continued to limp across the vast plain of green, the soft rustling of grass filling my ears as I move forward, each stride sent a rush of exhilaration through my veins.With each breath, I could sense the fragrance of the grass and wind as I propelled my way forward, mingling with the adrenaline that surged within me, the rhythmic thud of my heart matched the rhythm of my feet.As I descended further, the expanse before me gradually unfolded, revealing the widening scope of my surroundings. Before long, my line of sight expanded, finally revealing the uninterrupted stretch of the south road that leads back towards the town in the far distance.The south road eventually breaks into two paths, one that leads towards the west from my current position, and the other one towards the